Driver Dose Autoblog

Your Daily Surce of Auto News

2023 Chrysler Pacifica – First Drive

Chrysler is announcing the new 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Road Tripper, a special version of the ultimate family travel vehicle that celebrates the brand’s long-running history of bringing families together as well as Chrysler Pacifica’s status as the best-in-class road-trip minivan.

No matter how you see it, there will always be a place for the mini-van. Yes, the full-size cross-over SUV remains the mainstream trend for 7-passenger haulers, you just can’t beat the practicality a mini-van has to offer.

As a family-oriented vehicle, the Pacifica offers an enticing blend of style, comfort, technology, and practicality. Having spent some time with the 2023 Chrysler Pacifica, I’m pleased to share my thoughts on this impressive minivan.

Design and Aesthetics

  • 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle with all-wheel drive, shown in Velvet Red exterior color option.

Starting off with the exterior, the 2023 Pacifica sports a sleek and modern design, making it stand out in a segment that often leans toward practicality over style. Despite the typical box-like mini-van form factor, the Pacifica still manages to align with modern trends with a bold front grille, elegant LED lighting, and smooth lines give it a more sophisticated appearance than most of its competitors. However, some might find it slightly less visually appealing than an SUV, which has been a trend in recent years.

Interior and Cabin Space

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle model offers the most luxurious interior in its class, with Caramel Nappa leather seats featuring quilted seat side bolsters and perforated seat inserts and seat backs on all three rows.

The interior of any mini-van will always impress with the shear amount of space, but the Pacifica goes beyond to impress with both looks and feel. The cabin materials feel high-quality, and the seats are comfortable even on longer journeys.

2023 Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle

The Stow ‘n Go seating system is a game-changer, allowing you to easily fold down the second and third rows to create a flat load floor, maximizing cargo space. The Pacifica can comfortably seat up to seven or eight passengers depending on the second row seating configuration with either 2 captain seats, or 3-passenger row.

The interior of the 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Limited features the Uconnect 5 system with a 10.1-inch touchscreen that is the largest standard touchscreen it its class, an integrated Premium console that flows into the instrument panel and interior accents including Brushed Hydro bezels on the instrument panel.

Powertrain and performance

The Pacifica’s V6 engine provides adequate power for most driving situations, and the ride is smooth and composed, making it a great highway cruiser. However, it’s not a sports car, and some might find the acceleration and handling a bit underwhelming, especially when compared to some of the more performance-oriented SUVs. The Pacifica’s fuel economy is decent for its class but doesn’t stand out.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Road Tripper features unique exterior Brilliant Orange badging, wheel accents and graphics.

Standard trims get a respectable 287 horsepower V-6 paired with a 0-speed automatic transmission. Chrysler will offer a PHEV plugin-hybrid variant for improved fuel economy that gets an incredible 84 MPGe combined, but a caveat to that is the lack of AWD option. Otherwise, expect a reasonable 31 mpg on the V-6 variant for mixed city and highway driving.

Tech Features

Uconnect 5 home screen

Chrysler has done an excellent job of equipping the Pacifica with modern technology. Amongst the industry’s best is Uconnect infotainment system with an intuitive interface, quick response times, and support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The available rear-seat entertainment system with dual 10.1-inch touchscreens will keep the kids entertained on long road trips. While its ease of use and performance scores high, we would like to see a higher quality screen to better showcase its overall performance.

Test Drive and Final Thoughts

On the road, the Pacifica gets plenty of smooth and seamless acceleration thanks to its V6 engine and well-tuned 9-speed automatic transmission. Fuel emissions isn’t bad either with EPA estimates of 31 mpg for both city and highway driving.

The deeply sculpted and athletic front grille of the 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle is accented with a Platinum Chrome grille surround.


The mini-van isn’t new (at all), but Chrysler continues to keep the Pacifica alive that still offers exceptional value, making it a strong contender to the full-size crossover SUV alternative.

Specifications

  • Vehicle : 2023 Chrysler Pacifica
  • Vehicle Type : 7-Passenger Minivan
  • Seating Capacity :2+3+3
  • Engine : V-6 (268 hp)
  • Transmission : 9-Speed Automatic
  • Price as tested: $50,225

Pros

  • Unmatched practicality cargo capacity
  • Respectable fuel economy for V-6 engine (31 mpg) with available PHEV model
  • Smooth Acceleration and good road feel

Cons

  • Lack of AWD on PHEV model
  • Despite old-age technology, the Chrysler Pacifica is still considered expense for most people.